The Festival of Lights
by Zabe Rogue
Summary: We all love to hate Mace Windu. But he's not a mean person,just complicated. But with a little help from some friends and a flaky but lovable Jedi Knight, Mace might have wonderful Festival of Lights! A belated Christmas Story. Mace/OC 3 yrs pre-ATOC.
1. The Flake & The Scrooge

**A/N: I revised some parts in this story. It didn't make much sense when I read it back. Anyway, Please READ & REVIEW! Tell me what you think about Mace Windu having a spunky love interest. :D If I owned Star Wars, Mace would've had a girlfriend and he wouldn't have been such a prick. ENJOY!**

* * *

_**The Festival of Lights**_

_**I never really knew how Master Windu is feeling. In fact, no one really knows, not even his own Padawan learner. He looks happy when he's actually mad, sad when he's actually happy and stoic when…well none of us can't really tell what he's really feeling when he's like that. But anyway, what I'm trying to say is that Mace Windu is a very complicated man. I don't believe anybody gets him completely not even Master Yoda. Well…I could think of one person who understood Mace. **_

_**

* * *

**_

The buzzer sounded and two Jedi Masters begin to engage in combat. One was a tall, dark-skinned middle-aged man with broad shoulders and a bald head. He carried a royal purple lightsaber. The other Jedi was a woman, a decade or so younger than her opponent, of average height. Vanilla skin, fire red hair and sea green eyes. She carried an angelic white lightsaber. The two Jedi looked like they were getting ready to kill each other. But, in actuality, it was all in good fun.

"Nice sparring, Jayanette. Your saber skills are extraordinary."

"More extraordinary than _yours_?"

"Cockiness is not a quality befitting of a Jedi Master."

Jayanette Kenobi laughed. "Jealousy is not befitting either, Mace."

Mace Windu scoffed. "I was _not jealous."_

"I've been your Padawan for about thirteen years." Jayanette pointed out. "You can't fool me."

Mace laughed as he put his arm around his friend. "Of course not."

The duo started heading for the Council Chambers. After a moment of silence, Mace broke it. "So, why aren't you having breakfast with your sisters and brother?" He asked.

"I had to teach an early lesson to some younglings. Then I had to beat my _former Jedi Master _in a sparring match." She smirked. "Mission accomplished."

"Hey! I was still sleepy." Mace defended.

"_Right." _Jayanette said.

"Anyway, what are you and your siblings planning for this year's Festival of Lights?" Mace asked.

Jayanette shrugged indifferently. "The usual." She said. "Rancor-baking contest, Snow Speeder Race, and I'm hosting the Festival Dinner this year."

"Is Ni'Yosha cooking?"

"Thankfully, no. We're letting Anakin, Ta'Kina, & Jania, cook this year."

Mace's eyes went wide. "You're going to let your _Padawans _cook dinner for the Festival?"

"Yeah. Don't worry; it'll all be wonderful on Sunday." Jayanette assured. "Now, let's get going, we'll be late for the Meeting."

After walking for a few moments, Mace chuckled slightly as he and Jayanette walked to the Jedi Council Chambers.

"What's so funny?" Jayanette asked.

"I keep picturing Ta'Kina, the Skywalker siblings and their friends cooking dinner."

"Yeah, that'll be a recipe for disaster. So what are you going to do for the Festival of Lights?"

"I'm going to practice my sparring and meditate."

Jayanette rolled her green eyes. "You are one Scrooge, Mace Windu."

Mace stopped in his tracks and looked at the 27-year-old woman. "_Scrooge?"_

"Yes, Scrooge!" Jayanette declared. "Every Festival, you do this. You don't go out on any resorts, spend time with friends. This is the one of the few times we Jedi ever get have a vacation and my sisters, Obi-Wan & I, we take advantage of them. And so do the Jinn Sisters and other Jedi Knights. Sith, even _Yoda goes on vacation!"_

"_What's your point, Kenobi?" _ Mace interrupted.

"My point, Windu, is that you always revolve your life around just being a Jedi and a fighter. Life isn't always serious."

"And life isn't always fun either."

Jayanette gave Mace an offending look. "What are trying to say, Mace?" She said. "I'm not **serious** enough?"

"No."

"I'm too bubbly, too _cutesy _for you, is that it?"

"_No, Jayanette!_" Mace said. "Will you stop jumping to conclusions? It's none of that. But…"

"But what?"

"Well, I always thought you were…a little bit…um…"

"A little bit _what? _Spit it out, Mace."

"A little bit flaky."

Jayanette Kenobi stared at the tall, dark skinned Jedi Master with an incensed look in her eyes. Mace winced and backed away slowly for he knew that look in Jayanette's sea green eyes. She gets like that when she gets ready to fight or she's pissed off. This is the latter. Mace didn't like the latter.

"Flaky? _Flaky?" _ Jayanette repeated. "After everything we've been through, all the missions, all the one-on-one time that we've shared over the years, that's all you have to say about me. That I'm _kriffing flaky?"_

"Jayanette, that's not what I meant…" Mace began.

"No, you said quite enough Master Windu." Jayanette stormed past Mace and headed toward the Council Chambers. After a couple of angry strides, she turned back to Mace and added this: "And I would rather be a flaky, ditsy broad that a stiff, serious dick!" Before Mace can retort, Jayanette stormed off.


	2. Love & Crazy Siblings

_**Jayanette Kenobi was the one Jedi, the one person, whom Mace Windu couldn't really figure out completely. She was an enigma to him; to her not so much. In fact, Jayanette was in love with her former Jedi Mentor but she knew that it was never going to work. For three reasons: 1) The Jedi Code 2) Mace Windu was her Jedi Master and 3) Mace Windu is respected Jedi Knight and Senior Member of the Jedi Council. Yeah, total relationship killers. But what Jayanette didn't know was that Mace was in love with her too. Somebody say "Love Dilemma on Festival Eve"? Oh, and speaking of Festival Eve….**_

_**

* * *

**_

"IT'S SNOWING, IT'S SNOWING!"

20-year-old Sabrina Jinn woke to the sound of Jania Skywalker shouting for joy. She stumbled out of bed and went to the main room in their quarters. She saw her Padawan Learner jumping up and down on the sleep couch.

"It's snowing, Master Jinn!" She exclaimed. "It's snowing!"

"Will you please get off the couch and wash up for breakfast?" Sabrina shook her head. "You act like you've never seen snow before."

Jania shrugged. "I haven't."

Sabrina chuckled. "All right, my very hyper Padawan. Wash up for breakfast. Your brother and Obi-Wan will be here soon. As far as my sisters, well…let's just hope they're breakfast doesn't get cold."

* * *

By midday, the Jinn & Kenobi Jedi Masters cleaned up the kitchen and discussed the plans for the Festival of Lights which was two days away. Sabrina Jinn not only had her cousin and older sister, Ni'Yosha & Sarallel, over but she also had the Kenobi Siblings, Leiasha, Obi-Wan & Cordiyelle over as well.

"Okay," Sarallel began. "Let's get to the matter of hosting dinner. Who's going to host it this year?"

"Not me," Ni'Yosha commented. Leiasha looked at her. "Why not?" She asked.

"Because I hosted the Festival Dinner for the last two years."

"Yoshi that was a long time ago." Obi-Wan observed. "You were 23 at that time, you're 28."

"Well, why can't _you _do it this year?" Ni'Yosha countered.

"I'm getting the tree." The 32-year-old Jedi smiled triumphantly.

"That doesn't mean anything." Sarallel imputed. "You can still host the dinner."

"No, I'm good."

"Why, because you're a man?"

"Yep."

Leiasha rolled her eyes at her younger brother. "Chauvinist."

"Children, please. Can we not argue?" Sabrina suggested. "Besides, Jayanette said she was going to host it this year."

"Jay?" Sarallel repeated. "Why Jay?"

"Because she hasn't hosted a Festival Dinner yet."

"I haven't either." Cordiyelle said.

"You hosted dinner with me _last year!" _Sabrina imputed.

Ni'Yosha laughed at Cordiyelle. Cordiyelle just stuck her tongue out at her.

"Where _is _Jayanette?" Sarallel asked. "She didn't show up for breakfast this morning."

"She went sparring," Leiasha informed. Sabrina was about to ask who when Obi-Wan interrupted her.

"Let me guess," He said. "With Master Windu?"

"Right on the money, honey." Leiasha nodded.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

Sabrina shook her head as she took a sip of her juice.

Sarallel & Cordiyelle started giggling.

Ni'Yosha just shrugged.

"I don't see what the big deal is," She said. "Jay was Mace's first Padawan Learner and they've been close ever since."

"Yeah," Obi-Wan mused. "They've been real close all right."

"OK, Obi." Sabrina said. "Can you go with me into town to pick up some items for tomorrow?"

"All right."

Sabrina clapped her hands in satisfaction. "Great! Now that's settled, who's going to cook the dinner?"

"I will!" Ni'Yosha volunteered.

"_NO!" _Everyone rang out.

"We want _food, _Ni'Yosha." Obi-Wan teased. "Not _poison."_

"Very funny."

"Let the _kids _cook it this year." Cordiyelle mused.

Sabrina's hazel eyes sparkled. "That's not such a bad idea."

Cordiyelle looked at her best friend, shocked. "Wait, I was just kidding."

Before she could say anything else, 18-year-old Ta'Kina Alena Jinn & 16-year-old Anakin Skywalker came rushing through the door. Their winter apparel covered with snow.

"What in the blazes happened to you two?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin & Ta'Kina looked at each other and then at the Masters.

And they said two words: "Snowball Wars."

Sarallel & Cordiyelle snickered while Ni'Yosha came over to the snow-splattered teenagers.

Obi-Wan leaned over to Sabrina and whispered to her: "Should you tell them or should I?"

Sabrina shrugged. "_I'm _not going to tell them. Let Sarallel do it."

Leiasha smiled at the odd couple. "Don't worry," She assured. "Those kids _love _this time of year. They'll be eager to do anything for this Festival if you ask them."

* * *

_**That Afternoon...**_

"WHAT?"

"_THE WHOLE DINNER?"_

"Whose _bright idea _was _this?"_

Sarallel Jinn turned to her younger sister who was getting out the ornaments for the Festival Tree. Sabrina Jinn felt a mix of shock and anger through the Force so she turned around to see Ta'Kina Jinn, Anakin Skywalker & Jania Skywalker staring at her.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"When did you suddenly come up with the idea that _we _have to cook the Festival Dinner?" Ta'Kina demanded.

"It _wasn't _my idea," Sabrina replied. "It was Cordi's."

Cordiyelle Kenobi stood up from her spot on the couch and looked at Sabrina in disbelief.

"What the hell kinda lie is that?"

"It's the truth!" Sabrina argued. "You said 'Why don't we let the kids cook this year.' That's exactly what you said."

"_It was a joke!"_

"And just for that little slice of humor, you're going to help them." Sarallel suggested.

The 19-year-old's brown eyes practically bugged out of her sockets.

"ARE YOU KRIFFING ME?" She exclaimed.

Sarallel just smiled a smug smile.

"Oh, come on!" Cordiyelle complained. "I thought I was going to help you all with the decorating." She turned to Leiasha, who was in the dining area. "Leia, tell them!"

"You're the oldest out of the kids," Leiasha reasoned. "You have to oversee the cooking. After all, it _was _your idea."

Cordiyelle screamed in raging frustration and stormed to Jayanette's room. Everyone looked at Cordiyelle as if she were crazy. Leiasha just sighed and shook her head.

"Don't feel bad, Leiasha." Ta'Kina assured. "At least Obi-Wan & Jayanette aren't crazy."

Just then, Obi-Wan stormed in the quarters with a grim yet angry look on his face. He strode _right pass _Sabrina and Sarallel and headed toward the cooler. Jania looked at Obi-Wan worriedly.

"Master Obi-Wan?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, never better." He muttered. After grabbing a few things from the cooler, Obi-Wan slammed the door and headed his way out the door.

"Obi-Wan," Leiasha asked. "Where are you going?"

"_To war, Leiasha!" _Obi-Wan said, in a very scary voice.** (A/N:Think of Christian Bale in** _**Batman**_) "_Quinlan Vos has won that Rancor Making Tournament __**three years in a row!**__ But not anymore. I will __**pound his arrogant ass to the kriffing ground! And no one will stop me!"**_

Obi-Wan stormed out, laughing manically. Everyone just stared at him.

"Oh, dear." Leiasha sighed.

"Well," Anakin said. "At least _Jayanette_ isn't crazy."

Then, as if on cue, Jayanette stormed in a furious rage, cursing up a storm.

"That no-good, kriffing, stiff-necked son of a…"

"Jay!" Leiasha scolded. "There are _children _here!"

"Don't worry," Anakin said. "It's nothing we haven't heard before." When Ta'Kina nudged his arm, he added quickly: "But it's still bad."

"What happened, Jayanette?" Sarallel asked.

Jayanette ignored the question. Instead, she'd just continued ranting: "Thirteen years. _Thirteen years _I was his Padawan Learner. We've been friends for nearly twenty! And now, I'm flaky? How _dare he_ call me flaky! I _am not flaky! __Aayla Secura_ is flaky. Am I flaky?"

"Uh...well…" Sarallel began.

"Don't answer that! I'm going to get some air!" Jayanette stormed out of her room before anybody said anything else.

"Have fun!" Ta'Kina called out. Sabrina glared at her younger sister who just shrugged.

"Um… I think it's time you started feeling bad Leiasha." Jania remarked.

* * *

Mace Windu was in the Room of A Thousand Fountains where he goes there to clear his mind of… well, his issues. Ever since he saw her, ever since he chose her for a Padawan, Jayanette Kenobi was a ball of spunky optimism. She always found a bright side to every bad situation, the good in every person, if the occasion was drab, she would find a way to liven it up. Mace never gotten the mystery of the third Kenobi sibling. But ironically enough, she knew a lot about him. Mace rubbed his temples and sighed.

"Having trouble concentrating, Mace?"

Mace looked around to see Leiasha coming towards him. At age 37, Leiasha was the oldest out of the four Kenobi siblings. To Mace, it seemed like _she _was mostly level-headed. Obi-Wan was as well, but when you're Jedi Master to Anakin Skywalker, your patience wears thin quick.

"Leiasha," Mace greeted as he took a small bow. "Is there anything I can do for you this afternoon?"

"Can you help me with my sibling's problem?"

Mace grimaced. "_All three of them? _You're sisters _and _brother?"

Leiasha's eyes narrowed. "No. Just one of them, I'm sure you know which one."

Mace sighed. He knew which one. "Okay, before _you _get angry…"

"You called Jayanette _flaky?"_

"That…didn't come out the way it supposed to."

"Then how _was it _supposed to go? Because my little sister is _somewhere in Coruscant, _crying her eyes out and calling you names that I can't repeat here."

"I was going to say that she is a vibrant, spunky woman who is an amazing Jedi Knight and one of my exemplary pupils, my best friend…"

"If I didn't know any better," Leiasha interrupted. "I'd say you're in love with my sister."

Mace didn't say anything to Leiasha. He just smiled a sheepish smile at her. Leiasha's light gray eyes grew wide and her mouth gaped. Pretty soon, it was _her turn _to sit down and place her head in her hands. Mace looked at his friend in worry.

"Leia, are you all right?" He asked.

"I'm fine." She sighed. "But I don't think I can take any more bizarre surprises before this Festival."

Just then, 10-year-old Jania Skywalker came running through the garden along with her friend, 13-year-old Sartaan Talinda.

"Master Kenobi!" Jania exclaimed. "It's an emergency!" She caught Mace staring at her and gave a quick smile and bow. "Master Windu."

Mace bowed back. "Padawan Skywalker, Padawan Talinda."

Sartaan bowed. "Good afternoon, Master Windu."

"What's wrong, Jania?" Leiasha asked.

"Sarallel told me to tell you to get to the quarters immediately," Jania informed.

"It's an emergency." Sartaan added.

"Well, what is it?" Leiasha persisted.

"Ni'Yosha is thinking about making a Pallieberry Fruitcake for the Festival Dinner." Jania said, with a hint of fear in her voice.

Leiasha looked at Mace in horror and exasperation. He gave her a sympathetic look.

"Happy Festival of Lights." He said, cheerfully.

"Shut up." Leiasha sneered.

**A/N: Hopefully, the _actual _celebration will go well. And Mace will say the _RIGHT WORDS! _PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Oh, and if any of you have figured out the narrator of this story, review this story. MORE FUN, BELATED HOLIDAY-FILLED JEDI DISASTERS TO COME!**

**Z.R.  
**


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